The Watcher
by hundan
Summary: He plans to make her suffer, Ziva David ruined him and he has planned his revenge, nothing was going to stop him. Someone from Ziva's past comes back to haunt her, and Tony is determined to watch out for her, protect her if she needs him to.
1. Chapter 1

My first multi-chapter fic since being back, it feels good. I've worked on this one since before leaving for the Army so it's been going for a while. I do hope you enjoy as always.

Hundan

* * *

She looks a lot older than I remember, she looks different. I can still tell this is the same Ziva David I met seven years ago, she still has that edgy assassin blood in her even beneath the softer surface she had grown here in America. I still remember as though it was yesterday when I had her pinned to the ground beneath me and I had my knife at her throat, my other hand pulling at the belt at her waist.

She hadn't realized before I had her on the ground my true thoughts of what I wanted to do to her, what I have always wanted to do to her. She's always on my mind. I hadn't been graced with what I wanted that day in the past, she had overpowered me, she was stronger than she looked. She left me with the scar on the left side of my face from her blade, I left mine on her left waist with my own blade.

Surely she hasn't forgotten me, and that day. I left my mark and it must surely remind her. I thought that my dreams would never be fulfilled with what I want from her when she left Israel, but then I found out she was in America, that she was now an American. She had left her life in Mossad behind, she was getting soft. I know she's not as strong as she used to be, just in the way she runs, I can tell as I watch her.

I have watched her for weeks now, planning my move. I know she works for some navy agency, NCIS, and I've made my plan. I've always been one to get pleasure out of the mental pain I put someone through, it was one of my specialties as a top Mossad interrogator before I went rouge. I love not being under control by her father. I want to make her suffer, she has left me scarred somewhere I cannot hide, she left me embarrassed because she was able to outdo me.

Not this time. She will not overpower me this time. I will make her suffer, make her weak. I will twist her mind and make her scarred. She will be terrified of what I want to do to her. I have waited seven years for this day and I cannot wait to have her in my hands. So I can let my caged desires escape. I became attached to her and I will not let go until I make her mine, I will hurt her as I take pleasure in her body, and then, then I will cut her throat. So she was last mine and no one else may have her beauty.

* * *

The Sunday morning breeze was cool as it fanned against her skin. Her heart rate was up as her feet pounded upon the pavement. Sunday morning just after dawn was Ziva's favourite time to run, even on her weekend off she wouldn't miss the freedom the feeling gave her. She had always been a runner. When she was younger running was for enjoyment, social development with other kids. Running around the grass fields at school with her friends as they played games and enjoyed the youthful freedom they had.

As a teenager it had still held that feeling. But as soon as she started in the Israeli Army running was not so much a social or fun thing. The running she did there was for fitness, for cardio. That was where she learnt how far her body could truly be pushed, to its extreme limits. She had been pushed so hard that a few times her body couldn't keep up with the push. The second time it happened she had received a fractured collarbone and many scraps. Falling unconscious in the blistering Israeli heat right into the harsh gravel surface below her feet wasn't the nicest thing to experience.

And she had got familiar to that push for a long time, receiving it from Mossad after the Army. In the profession choice she had taken, running was to build her strength. She was a soldier who needed to be built to the optimum level. And she had been. When she moved to America in her position as liaison she continued these runs. To keep herself at that high level of excellence. For a while that was the reason for her running but as she changed, she became moulded into this new Ziva in her time at NCIS, her running had slowly changed.

Running still kept her fitness up, kept her healthy, but she found much more enjoyment in it now. It wasn't just a task to her anymore, she didn't push herself until her body couldn't take it, she went at a comfortable speed. She found it as a time when she had that freedom like when she was a child in the playground. Running was a way she found stress relief, tension relief. It calmed her. She enjoyed it again.

She was about halfway through her run when her cell phone began chirping at her hip. She slowed down her steps and stretched against a building as she answered.

"David"

"Dead Petty Officer, Kennedy Street" was the reply she got from her boss. He didn't sound happy, he must have been doing something important this weekend which had been interrupted by this case. She looked at her watch, almost eight in the morning. She was about two miles away from her apartment.

"I'll be there as soon as I can" she stated and then the line went dead. She turned around and picked up the pace. Getting home as quick as she could.

* * *

When she arrived at the scene she finally realized why Kennedy Street meant something to her. When Gibbs had said it over the phone she hadn't put too much thought into it but as she was driving there she knew it had something on the street that triggered her memory. And she now knew what that was. This street is the very one that held her favourite bookstore. She came here at least once a fortnight, more if she could.

As she approached the scene there were a few local police squad cars surrounding the scene, their lights flickering red and blue. This must have been a relatively fresh scene for the lights to still be going and the local LEO's to still be here. She pulled her mini over and holstered her weapon as she stepped out into the street. Heading for the crime scene tape that surrounded the bookstore. Her favourite bookstore.

Her heart rate picked up slightly as she realized the crime had happened in a place she found comfort in. Flashing her badge at the young uniformed officer on the perimeter, he took a good look at her badge before letting her through. The heat of the morning was starting to grow and the sun was prickling at her back as she walked up the front steps into the store.

She stood there for a moment, taking in the foreign feeling of the store in front of her. Her team wasn't meant to be here, cameras flickering, notes been taken, evidence been bagged. This was meant to be empty, with a few strangers searching the shelves for a book that would let them escape. There wasn't meant to be chatter filling the air, it was meant to be quiet with the only sound being the hum of the air conditioning. This wasn't right, it felt strange. She had this feeling twisting in her gut. Something was wrong other than the murder itself.

She walked into the store, joining her team. Ducky was bent down by the body of their victim. The woman was late twenties, dark brown hair, olive skin, brown eyes. There was something about this victim that bugged her. Just the way she looked was so familiar. Palmer was right at Ducky's side, the trusty medical examiners assistant. Gibbs was standing at the foot of the victim, towering over the scene in front of him. Taking each piece of the doctor's assumptions and filing them into the case file in his mind.

She could see McGee talking to Sheryl. Sheryl was the lady who owned the bookstore. She was absolutely lovely and Ziva hated for something terrible to be left in the woman's store for her to witness. Tony, he was taking the photos but he had the camera paused in his hands, staring down at the woman that lay cold on the floor in familiarity.

She took a few steps closer to the body, so she could see it in more detail. Eyes turned to her and lips shared a greeting of 'hello'. She returned the greeting but hadn't paid much more attention. She was too busy focused on the crime in front of her.

The woman lay on her side on the floor, naked, and bare for all eyes to see. She had her wrists bound with tape, her ankles left unbound. Her throat had been slit, deep. Blood pooled underneath her, staining the hardwood floor and her long curly hair. This had once been a radiant woman, and now she lay here, cold skin and beaten to a painful death. She did not deserve this fate. Something still twisted in Ziva's gut and she didn't know what it was. Then she had seen it, something that called out to her.

There was a cut that ran along the victim's waist, the same spot and same length as one she knew well. She wasn't jumping to any conclusions yet but it did bug her.

"Ducky, that cut down her side, was it fatal?" she voiced. Ducky moved his glove covered hands to the victim's side, examining it.

"No, it was not fatal, not deep enough to penetrate any of the victim's organs. Maybe an accident from our killer" Ducky announced.

"Maybe she fought back and he took his knife to her skin to try stop her" Ziva replied. She felt her boss' eyes on her then, he knew she was thinking something, she knew something more than she was telling. She avoided his gaze and looked back down at Ducky.

"She was killed by the cut to her throat?" Ziva asked. Ducky nodded.

"Yes, a very deep cut. The killer knew what they were doing, it not only killed her but the cut was done in a specific way it left her unable to cry out" he stated. She knew how to do that, silence your kill as you cut their throat. She had learnt that at Mossad. Ziva looked back down at the naked body.

"Was she raped?" Ziva asked.

"I believe she was but I will not be able to confirm that until I get her back to autopsy" he said and she nodded softly. Something about this whole case was getting to her. Where the victim was killed, how she was killed, what she looked like. That cut on her left side. She was trying to understand if this meant anything but she really wasn't sure. She felt her boss' hand clasp around her shoulder.

"You okay Ziver?" he asked, voice hushed.

"Yes, it just seems familiar for some reason that I cannot place" she admitted. He nodded in reply and let her shoulder go, flipping his notebook shut and heading over to McGee. As he left Ziva's eyes caught Tony's. He was quiet. He was never this quiet. Had he seen something like she had?

* * *

They had all gone down to see Ducky when he said he had found something interesting. They all stood and watched as Ducky explained his findings.

"Petty Officer Kayla Rosen's last few hours of her life were not how a nice young woman deserved" Ducky began.

"She was awake and very aware as she was raped. She had her arms bound, she could hardly fight back with the amount of force our suspect delivered to her. He had his hands clamped around her neck as he did, I believe he is a very disturbed individual, he has a lot of anger in him" he said and he moved a light towards her neck.

"You can see around the cut there is a lot of bruising, this is from where she was strangled as she was raped. Our suspect took pleasure in putting her through pain. And right as he was finishing his own pleasure he took his knife and cut her throat" Ducky said as he demonstrated the movement with his hand just above her neck. Palmer walked to the left side of the victim and pointed at the cut there.

"This cut was not done to kill the victim or harm her. The killer did this post-mortem" Palmer explained.

"I am not sure why the killer did this, a trademark of some sort maybe" Ducky then explained.

"We found DNA evidence from our killer in the victim and I have sent that up to Abby. But I have one more thing that you will find interesting" Ducky said as he walked to the victims thighs. He moved the light source and shone it on the victim's right thigh. When he lifted her leg and exposed the black art there Ziva's breath stopped.

"I believe the killer drew this on our victim in permanent marker when he was finished. I do not know what the swallow bird means, what significance our killer meant it to be but this was something he wanted to be found" Ducky said. Right there on the victim's inner thigh was a small swallow bird. Ziva felt like she was going to be sick. She sees that bird every day. She knows what the cut down the victim's side means now. She knows why the victim looks familiar. She has all the same features as she does.

It wasn't a coincidence that this woman was murdered in her favourite bookstore. It wasn't a coincidence that she had that cut down her left side, that she had that tattoo drawn on her inner right thigh. She'd learnt from Gibbs a long time ago not to believe in coincidences.

Suddenly everyone was looking at her. She hadn't realized she had reached out for the autopsy table to keep her on her feet. She could feel Tony at her side, holding her waist, keeping her from falling. Gibbs was right in front of her now, holding her head up.

"Ziver, you okay?" he repeated himself from earlier. She nodded lightly.

"I know- I know what the drawing and the cut mean…" she said, but she couldn't finish her statement. Her voice had choked up. She knew who this would be. Who their killer was. He was very, very dangerous.

"Ziver?" Gibbs asked. She still couldn't get the words to escape her mouth. It was Tony's voice next to her that rang out the answer she was trying to.

"That's Ziva's tattoo Boss" Tony began "And she has that same cut down her side too, a faded scar now but it would have once been like that. And don't you see the obvious Boss? I mean I saw it right away but you haven't mentioned it. Our victim looks just like Ziva. Dark curly hair, brown eyes, her skin, her similar face. This is personal, our killer is aiming this at Ziva" Tony stated. Ziva could hear and feel the rage boiling in his voice. He didn't like this. He knew why he had been captivated with their victim, she had looked like his partner.

"And I know who it is" Ziva croaked out. She thought she had left all of her Mossad life behind, especially him. She never thought about him anymore, about that day that had haunted her for so long. She knew she was in trouble, but she wouldn't let anyone see it. She wasn't going to give up until she found him and left his body cold on the slab of one of Ducky's tables.

This man, he was the most evil she had come across. He was sick minded, he got pleasure out of hurting a woman. He liked to make them suffer, mentally and physically. He had been one of her father's best interrogators. He would make the strongest of men and women beg at his feet. He was a monster.


	2. Chapter 2

I am glad that some of you are liking this so far, hope you continue to.

Hundan.

* * *

After her reaction in autopsy Gibbs had taken her upstairs to one of the conference rooms and sat her down, made her have a drink of water, made her calm down. She didn't need that much care on his part but she did find it comforting. She knew it took something close to home for Gibbs to be like this. And this was close to home.

They sat there silently for a while and when he thought she had settled down, when he thought she was ready, he asked her what was on his mind.

"Who is he?" Gibbs asked, voice rather gentle. She took a deep breath and thought back to a man she would rather not have in her past.

"His name is Alef Isaac" she began. She was about to continue but the door to the conference room opened, revealing Tony with a very confident look on his face. He didn't say anything he just held Gibbs' stare as he walked to the table, taking a seat next to Ziva. Gibbs hadn't invited Tony to this little private discussion so she knew he wouldn't be happy about this.

"It's fine" Ziva said, looking over at Gibbs. Gibbs held her gaze for a long moment before giving a small nod. Tony wasn't asked to be here, Gibbs had wanted to approach this with him and Ziva alone, but sometimes with these two you had to let them be. He knew that even though Ziva wouldn't admit it to anyone she found comfort when Tony was around. No matter if they tend to fight sometimes, they were still there when it mattered most.

"Alef worked for my father for a long time, he was the best interrogator we had. I was always sure there was something wrong with him, the way he enjoyed his job a little _too_ much. He wasn't just an interrogator, if someone needed to be executed, my father always trusted Alef, he always got the job done" Ziva began again, she was looking at the table but she could feel the gaze of both men heavily on her.

"He preferred women though, he was always brutal with women and he took great pleasure in the things he did to them. I was paired with him on a task seven years ago, I'd brought in a guy my father wanted answers from and instead of having me do it he wanted Alef to work with me. I went along with it, as long as I got to be in charge. Which I was. I didn't really like him when I first met him, he had a weird vibe about him but he was close to my father so I overlooked that" she stated. She shook her head at herself in thought that she had been too careless because her father trusted him, she should have listened to her own instincts, she wouldn't have ended up in the situation she had if she did.

"It was my fault, I had trusted him when I shouldn't have. After we had finished with the man and we had put him in the cells, I was taking down the restraints from the ceiling…" she couldn't believe she was confessing parts of her old life that she would prefer her friends not to know, she didn't like them picturing her being the tough killer assassin that she used to be, hopefully it will not change their judgment on her now that she's admitting to small parts of that old life, of things she did. Like hang a man from the ceiling and torture him.

"And then when I didn't expect it Alef came up behind me, his hand came around my neck in a choke hold and he kissed my neck. I don't know if he thought I was interested in what he was offering or something but I was definitely not. And I fought back and he retaliated, thinking it was part of some 'game'. We ended up on the ground and he had pulled out his knife by then, holding it to my throat. He'd only then realized that I was in fact not playing along with him and it was not going to happen" she hadn't realized but her breathing had become erratic slightly, her palms were sweating. Reliving this long forgotten memory was painful.

"His hand went down to my belt… and I knew fully well what he was intending to do to me. And I would never let anyone do that to me when I could help it. I managed to reach my knife in my pocket and I gashed the side of his face just as he pulled the top of my pants down. He pulled back as soon as I did it and I got about a fraction away from him when he struck me with his knife on my side, which is how I got the scar" she knew Tony had seen the scar she was taking about but she also knew Gibbs had never seen it, he had never seen her that indecent before.

She quietly stood from her chair and looking up at her boss for the first time since this confession began she lifted up the side of her shirt, exposing the faded scar, identical to the one on their victim. Gibbs leant forward in his chair and looked closely at the scar, he didn't touch it though, it was on a far too personal place for him to ever touch unless it was fully necessary. He respected women when it came to their bodies and their privacy. Especially someone he cares for as a daughter.

"What happened after that?" Gibbs then asked, his eyes going back up to hers as he gently lowered her hand that held her shirt, covering her back up again. Considering the fact his senior field agent was silent and not begging to take a look himself, he must have seen it before, and not just a quick glace either. It made Gibbs wonder how close those two really have been sometimes.

"I told him if he moved one bit I wouldn't stop myself from killing him. He must have seen how angry I was because he didn't move a muscle. I went straight to my father about the altercation, he said he would do something about it and I believed him so I never took any personal action out on Alef when I saw him." she said. She was now looking up at her boss, telling him. She could feel Tony's presence closer than it was before beside her also.

"He would walk past me smirking or glaring, and I know Alef had been following me, looking up my personal file, like he would a target. Michael had stressed his concern about what he was doing. But as always back then I pushed it off as nothing, thinking that my father would soon deal with it" she stated. Tony flinched slightly at the mention of Michael.

"But he never did, did he?" Tony's voice spoke up from beside her, she turned her head and locked eyes with him. He sounded angry, not at her but at Alef, Eli maybe. And it was the first words he had spoken since coming into the room.

"No, my father never did anything. Never. And then I went to Cairo on a mission and had never seen Alef again. Then my life had moved on, I had forgotten all about him. Until today, when I saw that woman with all those things similar to me. I knew it was him, there would be no one else who it would be" she explained.

"Do you know what happened to Alef?" Gibbs asked. If the basted still worked for Eli Gibbs was going to have serious problems with a certain Israeli's father.

"He went rouge from Mossad. He always liked having the power and I guess working under someone didn't give him that. I would hate to think what he went on to do, but I am sure after what we found today I could easily guess" she stated, as though the last words were acid on her tongue. She really hated Alef for what he had done, not only to her but to all the many other women she knows he would have ruined, killed, tortured, raped. All for his own pleasure. Gibbs nodded once. His eyes were watching her as he went over everything she had just admitted.

"I will not have you alone until this basted is caught" Gibbs announced, stern in his order. Since when did she need protection? She was fine all by herself. She didn't need for Gibbs to have someone babysitting her.

"Gibbs that is not necessary, Alef failed once, he will fail again" Ziva stated, sure of herself.

"Ziver this is not a choice for you, you will have someone with you at all times, this is not a discussion" he stated, not taking no for an answer. Out of all the women he knew Ziva was the most goddamn stubborn one of them all, even worse than Jenny.

"It is a discussion Gibbs because I do not find this necessary and I will not be put in any sort of protection detail. All that will do is show Alef that I am afraid of him, which I am not" she said. Okay, so maybe he was getting to her a little bit by the fact that after so many years he had come back for her. A clear statement that he wanted to finish her off. Whatever she may feel about what Alef was doing, she would not let it show.

And she could see Gibbs was just about to argue back, this time bringing a serious bark. But he was cut off before he could as Tony's voice, calm and protective, spoke up from beside her again.

"Ziva, I know you are one tough chick but you're not who you used to be, you're not an assassin anymore, you're not as strong as you used to be" he began and her gaze moved over to him, he was looking at her softly. And when she gave a slight glare at the last comment he made, he explained himself.

"Sure you're strong compared to the normal type of people we come across but this guy is an assassin and has probably still been killing people for the past seven years, he will be stronger than you since last time" he added just as softly. She watched him carefully, reading him. He was worried about her, he was worried about her safety, as was Gibbs. It's just the way Tony's eyes looked at her now, she couldn't say no to that worry, she wouldn't have them up all night pulling out their hair worried about her knowing she was alone. She couldn't do that to them, she would always do what's best for her family.

"Okay" she replied softly, giving a small nod. Gibbs couldn't believe DiNozzo was the one who was able to get her to agree, and by being calm and frank with her.

"You stay with me tonight then DiNozzo tomorrow, alternating shifts and I'll get McGee to be on call if you get too tired DiNozzo" Gibbs instructed. Holding his senior field agents gaze.

"I won't get tired" Tony replied, holding his boss' stare. Ziva could feel some sort of overprotective vibe searing between the two males.

"I'll put you in the spare room" Gibbs said, softening his gaze and moving it to look at Ziva. She nodded.

"Then I've got dibs on your couch" Tony stated. Gibbs' eyes left her again and went to Tony, this time he was slightly irritated by Tony's persistence to think he was doing what he wanted.

"That's not needed DiNozzo, you need your rest for tomorrow" Gibbs pointed out.

"I won't be able to sleep much, not unless I know she's safe. She's not leaving my sight" Tony said, his voice sure and challenging. And the way he said that to his boss was as though Ziva wasn't even present in the room. He didn't really care if she saw just how protective he was of her. Gibbs opened his mouth to say something when Tony cut him off.

"I'm not losing her again" he admitted. Gibbs stopped short on what he was about to say. He couldn't say no when Tony brought that up. When had DiNozzo become so challenging? He'd never argue with Gibbs before over something, he never questioned his word. Maybe Tony had finally become what Gibbs had perfected over the past ten years. One hell of an agent. But Gibbs knew that there may be something a little more personal there too. Gibbs looked over at Ziva again.

"You're in the spare room, Tony will be downstairs on the couch" Gibbs stated. No more changing of his decision.


	3. Chapter 3

Ziva had been upstairs since they arrived at Gibbs' and she hadn't come downstairs yet, neither had Gibbs. Tony had been sitting on the couch ever since they got here. He was just left by himself, thinking. And when Gibbs came downstairs he was alone. He knew why without having to ask. Gibbs had told Ziva to try and get some rest. It was late, they hadn't arrived at Gibbs' house till at least midnight.

Gibbs went into his cupboard in the hall and pulled out a blanket and pillow, bringing it over to the couch and sitting it on the end.

"You should get some rest DiNozzo, I need you on your game with this guy coming after her" Gibbs said quietly as he stood in front of the couch. Tony looked down at his hands.

"I'll try but I'm not promising that I'll get much sleep until this basted has a bullet between his eyes" Tony admitted, lifting his eyes to look at his boss. Gibbs was silent for a short while before he spoke.

"Me too DiNozzo, me too" he stated before heading towards the back door of the house. Tony heard Gibbs go outside. He wasn't sure where his boss was going but he would guess he was doing some sort of perimeter sweep around his house before he locked up.

Tony looked at the bedding Gibbs had given him and then he looked at the stairs. Right now there was somewhere more important he could be than lying on a couch when he knew he wouldn't find sleep. He stood from his place on the couch and slowly walked up the stairs.

He got to the top and walked down the hallway to the bedroom he knew she was in. The door was slightly ajar and he could see a small light coming from in the room. He slowly pushed the door open and almost immediately he saw her looking up at who was coming in the room, on high alert. And he knew why her right hand was under the pillow, he knew what she kept under there.

"It's just me" he said quietly and he watched her relax almost immediately as her hand came out from under her pillow. She sighed and lay back down on the bed. He could tell she was stressed somewhat. He walked into the room and made his way to her side of the bed, sitting down beside her hip.

"You okay?" he asked softly. He wasn't sure if she was going to tell him the truth or not, but he guessed it was worth a shot. It wasn't often she admitted that she wasn't okay. She stared up at him for a moment and then nodded. He knew she wasn't telling him something. He reached out his hand and gave her ribs a light tap through the covers.

"You know you can tell me if you're not right? I won't think any less of you. If I was you, I'd be scared" he admitted. He wanted her to know that he was here for her, that she could console in him if she needed. He watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath.

"He won't stop, not until he gets what he wants" she whispered. She refused to open her eyes and let him see just how much this was affecting her. If he saw her eyes, he would see it all. He always could. Her eyes said everything to him, whether she wanted them to or not. She felt his hand touch her shoulder. He wanted her to open her eyes, she knew.

"What does he want?" he asked. He had a good guess at what he wanted by what Ziva had told him and Gibbs earlier but he wanted to hear it from her.

"He wants to kill me, show that I am not stronger than him, so he is not embarrassed about what I did all those years ago. But before he does that he'll… he'll do something that will take my pride, he'll…" and she couldn't voice it, not to Tony. But he knew what she meant anyways, he always understood her and she could tell that this time was no different.

"I do not think I can handle that again" she whispered so quietly he almost missed it. Again. He knew what that meant. He knew what had happened to her in Somalia. She hadn't said anything to him exactly about it but he knew. It was all in her eyes. It always is with her. And he knew that she had overcome her experience in Somalia, he knows it was hard. It took her a while.

The thing that silently let him know she was okay after Somalia? The first time she had come over to his and snuggled close to him on the couch. That's when he knew. It was as though she was silently letting him know without words that she was okay now and that she was back to whom she was and she was comfortable with touch. That her time there was all but forgotten. She was never good with words when they hurt, she didn't like to get very emotional. But lately she was changing, he'd noticed. Especially since Mike Franks death.

People change, they do. They had both changed a lot in the past few years.

He knew that she couldn't handle the pain if it was to happen to her again. Not only the physical, but the emotional too. And he will not let it happen again. Never will he let Alef put a hand on her in that way, not in any way at all. He would give his life in a second if it meant she would be safe. He would always do that for her. Never thinking twice about it.

He moved his hand from her shoulder and brought it to the side of her face, softly tucking her curly hair behind her ear. She still wouldn't look at him, he needed her to look at him. She slowly opened her eyes and stared up at him. He knew that would work, it always did. Being gentle with her like that, treating her with more care then she thought she deserved always had her softening. Truthfully she deserved all the care in the world as far as he was concerned.

"I will not let him do that to you, I promise" he whispered, his hand threading through her hair again. She blinked a few times and took a deep breath. She brought her hand up and placed it over his, gripping onto it softly.

"You cannot promise such a thing, you do not know what he is capable of Tony" she stated. She drew his hand away from her face, knowing that it was getting to her when he touched her like that. He always knew how to soften her with things she never knew would affect her before. However when she tried to slip her hand away from his hand, he held onto her. Not letting her go.

"Ziva I will promise such a thing, I mean it. I will take a bullet before I let him do that to you" Tony whispered. And he meant it too, he was dead serious. She could tell and it shook her up a bit. She always knew he would do anything for her, he'd proven it many times before but there was something in the way he said it, in the way he wouldn't let her hand go. He would die for her if it meant she wouldn't go through that pain again, forced to do that again.

"I do not deserve that sort of promise from you" she then said. She let her hand go slack in his, left it where he wanted it, she wasn't pulling away anymore. And he noticed, she could tell by the way he curled his hand around hers more, then he threaded his fingers between hers. When had this turned so intimate between them?

"Yes, you do. You deserve more then you give yourself credit for Ziva, you just don't realize it" he stated. Giving her hand in his a gentle squeeze. Did she really deserve it? He seemed so sure. Maybe she was, and she just never realized it. And she nodded at him, finally understanding and taking his word for it.

He smiled at her softly when he realized he had broken her, softened her so much she had given in. He loved when he was able to do that. To him it didn't show weakness, no, it showed him just how much she trusted him. That meant so much to him. He brought his free hand to the side of her face again, gently running his thumb across her temple as he threaded his fingers in her hair. This time when she closed her eyes it wasn't because she didn't want him to see pain but the fact how much a simple caress like that got to her. How much she truly enjoyed being treated like that. By him.

"I think you should try and get some sleep" he stated softly.

"I don't know if I can" she whispered back. She didn't mean to when her hand clamped around his slightly tighter. It was a reflex. His fingers moved in her hair again, she let out a sigh.

"You have to try. He wants you to be tired, off your game. And you're safe here. I'm here, Gibbs is here. We won't let anyone in this house, we won't let anyone near you" he explained. Letting her know that they had her back. It was safe for her here.

"Okay, I will try" she replied. Closing her eyes and reluctantly letting his hand go. She knew he couldn't stay here, in this room, this bed, with her. Not under Gibbs' roof, even though it was only a comfort thing, it just couldn't happen. Gibbs didn't need anything else to be worrying about right now. And Tony understood her silent words when she let his hand go and then reopened her eyes after a short while. He knew well what she was thinking. Not when Gibbs was around, Gibbs would get the wrong idea of what it meant. He would become suspicious.

"I'll come check on you later, and I am sure Gibbs will too, so close your eyes and you get some rest" he smiled softly at her. She nodded in reply. When he bent his head down towards her she wasn't sure what was about to happen. Then he softly pressed his lips to her forehead. She couldn't help but think he lingered there longer than necessary. However she didn't mind. When he pulled back his eyes held hers strongly and his hands slipped from their touch on her.

She felt colder all of sudden when he stood from his seat at her side, but she let it go. She watched as he walked from the room, sending her one more glace of reassurance before disappearing into the hallway. She closed her eyes and wished herself to get some sleep. She knew she was safe here after all. She should be able to sleep knowing she had Gibbs and Tony looking out for her.

He wasn't surprised when he came downstairs and found Gibbs sitting in the lounge, quietly staring into space. Gibbs didn't look at him either when he walked into the room and went and sat on the couch. He did however acknowledge his presence.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked. Tony wasn't surprised Gibbs would have known where he was. Finally Gibbs brought his gaze up and settled it on him. Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How was she? Should he tell Gibbs that silently she scared? Or that she's fine?

"She'll say she's okay, but deep down I know that's not true" Tony admitted. He didn't know if he should tell Gibbs that Ziva had, in fact, confided in him in one word or another that she was scared. Gibbs didn't need to know that Tony had broken her, that he could make her break by the way he treated her, touched her.

Gibbs just stayed quiet and nodded at him. Gibbs knew that there was more to it than what his senior field agent was telling him, but he had a good idea of what it was. Something he didn't need to know right now.

He'd gone upstairs earlier to go get DiNozzo when he noticed him missing. But in the end he had left him there. He'd overheard his two agents talking and the nature and softness of how they were talking was so different to how he was used to hearing them.

Sure he was used to the teasing and banter, maybe even a kindness between them. He knew they were good friends. But he had never heard them talking so… intimately before. He wondered how close they really were. But that was something he didn't need to think about right now.

"You gonna try get some sleep?" Gibbs asked him. Tony shrugged.

"I'll guess, I'll try but I can't promise anything. Not when I know I should be watching her back" he admitted. He didn't care he was admitting to his boss about being this protective of his partner.

"I'll be here watching her Tony. You get your rest, I don't want you tired when you're meant to be looking after her tomorrow. I don't want to think that you can't handle this" Gibbs stated. Tony looked at his boss for a moment. He was right. Tony had to be on his game when Ziva was at his tomorrow. Gibbs wouldn't be there tomorrow, he would be tracking down Alef. So this whole thing could be over.

"Okay, I'm just worried" Tony admitted softly. Gibbs knew Tony had always been over protective of Ziva, honestly so would he himself. But Gibbs would always worry that they are too close. Like he and Jenny had been. He didn't want them to end up like he and Jenny had. But he knew that if these two did go down that track -not that he necessarily wanted them to- that they would go about it different than he and Jenny had.

He knew that in one point in time, if they hadn't already, Tony and Ziva would at least experiment with their relationship. He'd hoped it had been and gone because he didn't know if he could handle that type of relationship in his team. The two of them were enough stress without an intimate relationship.

"I know Tony, so am I. But we will get this bastard" Gibbs assured the younger man. Tony nodded again, taking Gibbs' word for it. Tony kicked his shoes off and removed his jacket.

"Night boss" he stated as he lay down on the couch and placed the blanket over himself. Gibbs stood from the couch and switched the main light in the room off.

"Night Tony" Gibbs replied. Heading upstairs to his room. He wouldn't sleep at all tonight, he would be watching over Ziva all night.

He went upstairs and he walked over to Ziva's door that was still ajar. He walked in and she lifted her head, her hand was under the pillow, gripping her weapon. As soon as she noticed who it was she relaxed.

He walked over and sat on the side of her bed. Her eyes were droopy and it looked as though she had at least tried to get some sleep. Whatever Tony had said to her must have been reassuring.

"I am fine Gibbs" she said quietly. He could tell she had been asleep, her croaky voice gave her away. He felt partly guilty for waking her now, not that he really meant to. Just opening the door slightly would have alerted her ninja senses, heck just walking down the hallway might have done it. She was on high alert at the moment.

"I do not think that is true Ziver" Gibbs stated softly. What had Tony said to him? She sighed.

"Okay, I am not fine" she admitted. She hated admitting she wasn't fine but Gibbs deserved her honesty.

"We'll get him, you know that right? I won't let him near you" Gibbs stated. She had to smile softly at the fact Tony had almost said those same words to the letter.

"Tony said exactly that" she explained.

"I know he won't let Alef near you, I trust DiNozzo more than anyone to have your six" Gibbs admitted. Ziva silently watched him. She knows Tony is overprotective of her, but does Gibbs know that? Does he see it too?

"I know. I trust him more than anyone too" she replied. Gibbs didn't need to hear her say it to know how much she trusted Tony, to him, watching the two of them all these years, he knows how much trust there is there. It had taken a while and that trust had gone up and down, but now, now it was at a very high place in their partnership. Gibbs stared down at her for a moment.

"You should get some more rest. Tomorrow's going to be busy for you and I know you need as much rest as you need" Gibbs stated, standing up from his place on her bed. She nodded slowly at him.

"Okay, I will try" she replied. He watched her shuffle around in her sheets a little more to get comfortable and then she closed her eyes. Right before he left he knew one thing would help her sleep, whatever had her sleeping before.

"Just think about whatever it was that DiNozzo told you earlier that had you sleeping" he said quietly before slipping out of the room.

As Gibbs left Ziva thought to herself. He must know how overprotective Tony is of her. He must know how close they are. She just didn't know if Gibbs knew how Tony was able to break her, to calm her and to put her in any mood he wanted, simply by the way he spoke to her, touched her. How he treated her. Honestly, she hoped he didn't know how soft she could be around Tony. She was meant to be strong, unbreakable.


	4. Chapter 4

Another chapter into it, sorry this one took a few days I have been a busy woman :P Thank you to all the reviews and thoughts I have gotten so far at this point in the story, hope you enjoy this chapter and I'd love to hear more of your thoughts as the story evolves.

Hundan.

* * *

He watches her from across the bullpen and he can tell she'd slept at least some of the night. She looks slightly rested, and that was a good thing. This morning at breakfast at the Gibbs house it had been rather quiet, except for the discussions about Alef and how they would find him. Right now they were working on a lead, McGee was trying to track down some sort of cyber lead, Abby had figured out the type of pen Alef had used to draw the tattoo and she had that running through the system to find where you can buy it from.

Right then Gibbs' phone started ringing and all eyes went right to him. As soon as the person on the other end said something -you wouldn't notice if you hadn't been working with him for ten years- but his face stiffened briefly.

"Okay, Got it" Gibbs replied and hung up the phone.

"Grab your gear" Gibbs instructed. They didn't need to ask him what it was to know, they weren't taking up any other cases right now. Gibbs rounded his desk and stood in front of Ziva as she went to step out from behind her desk. McGee and Tony kept walking to the elevator but Tony was watching very closely. Gibbs leant in closer to Ziva and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ziver, if you think its best, you don't have to come" he said quietly. He knew she was going to come along anyway, no matter what he said. She was determined to beat Alef, face him and take everything he did to scare her head on. However he wanted her to know that she had the choice, that the offer and advice was there.

"No, it is alright Gibbs. I will be fine" she stated. He smiled slightly, there was that tough ex-assassin Gibbs knew well coming through the cracks in their new Ziva. He knows she is still scared about what Alef wants to do to her, but so far she wasn't scared of the tricks he is playing to get to her head. She won't be intimidated by a murdered woman, she sees them all the time -as sad as that sounds- but it was her job. He hopes this won't affect her, it might do in the long run. He'll just have to keep an eye on her.

And he won't be the only one. He knows if he misses anything Tony will definitely see it. He doesn't miss much that involves Ziva. But he's not going to think too much into the reason why that is. Again.

* * *

I didn't think she would come. Maybe I thought too less of her. She arrives with her team and she walks up to the next bookstore I chose, there's a body inside and I took pleasure in killing the young woman last night. I pictured she was Ziva when I killed and raped her though. It made me just that much more excited to finally do those things to Ziva herself.

Two of the men she's with I recognize. They were the two men she stayed with last night. I've done my research, the house was Leroy Jethro Gibbs' home, he's the older one with grey hair. I know he's a marine sniper, very decorated, but I'm not afraid of him. I know I'm better than him. And the younger one? Well he wasn't younger, he was a good few years older than Ziva. He's Anthony DiNozzo, I don't see him as a tactical threat, more as a clingy one.

There's this weird way that he looks at Ziva when she walks around. His eyes hardly leave her. I'm pretty sure he's fucking her. However I don't know if their boss knows this, he slept on the couch away from her last night. And he hovers around her, always staying close. He's definitely going to get in the way.

Even though Ziva seems confident now, I know when she sees another woman looking just like her, that it'll start to get into her head. There's something about repetition that makes things stick in your mind. And I'll always have another body for her in the morning, just to dig myself a little deeper in her mind. I want to scare her so much that she begs at my feet, I want her to cry for mercy at my feet like a weak defeated woman.

* * *

She hates it before she enters the new crime scene. Bookstores were a place of peace and somewhere to relax, he was stripping that thought from her mind more and more each time he leaves a bloody murder in one for her to find. The heat of the day has made this smaller bookstore stuffy and hot. It also doesn't help the smell hanging in the air. She scrunches her nose as the sent really hits her and she walks around a desk to find the bare woman splayed across the floor.

And just like the last one, she looks just like herself. Tan skin, dark curly hair, the face, the cut, the tattoo. It makes her heart rate pound against her ribcage even more than it did before. It doesn't help knowing that this is exactly what Alef wants to do to her, that's why he's doing it to these women after all.

She's here to do her job, not to just tag along and witness the scene someone has played out in their mind for her to end up in. She picks up the camera that hangs loosely at her neck and starts snapping away pictures. The girl lying naked on the floor didn't deserve this, and she can't help but feel slightly responsible. But she knows not to think like that, she can feel Tony's eyes heavy on her and she knows he'll say it's not her fault. That it has nothing to do with her.

And he's right. She just needs the thought of his opinion to show her that. For some reason the heat of today's summer was really getting to her, she was beginning to sweat and feel hot. She unzips her windbreaker and tugs at the clingy material of the shirt underneath. And it's not just her that's affected by the weather. Tony had forgone the windbreaker all together and had lost the jacket and rolled his sleeves. McGee had done much the same. And Gibbs, well Gibbs just continued to wear everything –sport coat and all- like he didn't feel the heat.

As soon as Ducky had given his opinion, saying that this murder was almost, if not identical to the one previous, they had finished collecting all the evidence they could and headed out. The air she hoped to be cooler outside wasn't much different to the tight heat in the store. Outside the sun scorched their skin as soon as it found the uncovered surface of their arms and necks. The heat wasn't helping her stress.

She got to the rear of the van as she placed the equipment in the back and she felt Tony join her. She knew it was him. Why? Because he hadn't left her space since they got here. And honestly, it was comforting. She didn't have to look over her shoulder every five seconds to make sure her back was safe, because he had her back. As he joined her at the back of the van he dug in his pack for something, pulling out a water bottle, holding it out to her.

"Here, you need some water in you, it's hot" he said quietly. And she took the bottle without protest of any sort, she wanted a cool drink, she needed it. She didn't want to get sunstroke in this heat anyways. She opened the cap and took a big long sip of the cool water before handing it back to him. He smiled softly at her before taking his own drink.

"Thank you" she stated and then he handed it to her again. Was it strange that they casually shared a drink like this and it didn't bother them one bit? The fact that they didn't even wipe the lip of the bottle before taking a drink after the other just had?

"You're welcome" he replied. He watched her for a moment, watched her as she took a drink from his bottle. When she handed it back again he watched her look over to the bookstore they had just come out of.

"How you holding up?" he suddenly said quietly. Her head slowly turned back around to him, eyes settling on his.

"Yeah, I'm alright" she replied softly. He nodded.

"But the heats not helping your stress?" he asked. He was gentle in the way he said it, knowing it was a subject he had to go by in that calming way. How did he know what she was thinking?

"Yeah" she replied, nodding at his assumption. He was about to say something else but McGee joined them at the back of the van and Tony knew not to continue this type of conversation in front of anyone else. Ziva wouldn't want McGee thinking she's worried by this case. McGee sometimes still thinks of her as a tough assassin, he doesn't know her soft side fully as much as Tony does.

* * *

Tony could tell Gibbs was getting more moody. They hadn't made much progress that day and that fact had him getting a little more on edge. He'd dismissed him and Ziva an hour ago and he and McGee had stayed at the office, hoping to find something new on Alef. Tony hopes McGee will be alright with the moody boss by himself, Tony's trained the Probie and he hopes it will pay off.

Ziva's in his bathtub right now, he suggested it. He knows she likes her baths and he knows she needs to relax, let some of the stress be unwound. And he's standing in the lounge, peering out the window. Making a quick scan of the street. Nothing hinky. He's watching because something in his gut doesn't feel right. He leaves the window and walks back down the hallway, walking past the bathroom and wondering how she is.

He walks up to the door and leans his forehead against the wood. He knows no one can get into his bathroom from the outside but he still doesn't feel like he should leave her out of his sight. He hesitantly knocks on the door.

"You alright in there?" he asks. He's pretty sure he's asked if she's alright way too much lately, but he can't help but to keep asking.

"Yes Tony, I am fine" she replied, the same thing she had continuously said for most of the day. Sure she said that because at the moment she was handling it. But with what she said last night, he knows that may change. He just nods at himself and he keeps standing there. He doesn't know why, he just does. And after a few minutes she somehow knows.

"Tony if you're just going to stand out there you can just come in" she said through the door. Did he hear right? He must have. He brought his hand to the door handle and held it there for a moment, wondering if going in the bathroom while his partner was naked in his bathtub was normal. He guessed that between them, nothing was normal. They didn't have that personal space between them, they were very open partners.

He slowly opened the door and took one step into the bathroom. He was glad he did, she looked so relaxed, and it brought comfort seeing that. And he was safe from temptation, she'd found his bubble bath stuff and gone ahead and used some, so she was hidden from his view. Thank god for bubbles, he knew if she was bare to him he wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off her. And he needs to keep his head on straight, he's on her protection detail. Not that they would ever call it that because Ziva doesn't feel the need to be protected.

He quietly walks in and sits himself on the edge of the tub, looking down at her. He can tell there is something she wants to say right now, so he stays quiet.

"You know, you do not need to keep asking how I am Tony" she smiled lightly "It's comforting but if how I am changes, I will let you know. I promise" she said, a little bit more serious.

"Alright, sorry" he said. She shook her head and lifted her hand out of the tub, placing her hand on his thigh. He didn't care that her hand was wet and it was soaking through the fabric of his pants.

"Don't be sorry" she replied. He stared down at her, her eyes were locked on his and he couldn't help but think this was nice personal moment between them. Alef forgotten about, it was just the two of them. It seemed right now that nothing else mattered.

"Okay, I won't be" he replied. He didn't know what made him do it but he brought his hand down and placed it over her one on his leg, wrapping his fingers around her hand. She stared at him, he stared at her. This was one of the moments they share that he's not really sure about, the type of one that has him wondering if he made his move, took their relationship somewhere further, that she will follow him with no regrets.

"What do you want me to cook you for dinner?" Tony asked and a smile spread across her face. It wasn't often Tony cooked, but when he did, god did she love his cooking.

"You're going to-" she began but her sentence was stopped short when a loud crash came from inside Tony's apartment. Tony was on his feet in a second, grabbing the weapon from his waist. He turned and looked at her.

"You stay right there, you hear me?" he demanded, she hadn't seen him so authoritative to her before, and he was serious. And what he said wasn't a question, it was a statement. When he disappeared from the room she climbed out of the tub and got dressed, grabbing her weapon. He always had her six, she wasn't going to leave his unattended.

Tony walked into his hallway and made his way towards the kitchen, he couldn't hear any more noise, he was on high alert right now. He stepped into his kitchen and before he could react a knife was flying in his direction and it lodged right into his shoulder. He cried in pain but still lifted his gun up and fired at the man standing at the other side of his kitchen.

Alef ducked behind Tony's counter and Tony slowly approached.

"Show yourself you bastard" Tony called out, anger was running through his veins a mile a minute. Tony pulled the knife out of his shoulder and threw it on the floor. Right now he wasn't worried about himself, all he was worried about was protecting Ziva.

Tony stepped towards his counter, with great caution as he did. Another knife came flying in his direction, this time he was able to dodge the attack. Then suddenly Alef stood, Tony went to fire but before he could one of his frying pans were coming right at him, crashing into his arm that held his weapon, knocking it from his grip. And yeah, that had hurt.

The man that he doesn't know but has more hate for than anyone, advanced on him right now, and Tony was going to take this fate head on. Because anything that meant he could keep Ziva safe, he would do.

"You are much more in the way then I thought you would be" Alef said, his deep, rough voice smothered in anger.

"And you a lot more stupid then I thought" Tony snapped back before striking a punch, a good right hook if he were to judge, into the side of Alef's face. And for some reason it looked as though Alef hadn't expected that. Alef gripped Tony by the throat. He said nothing, all he did was growl in his face.

"Let him go Alef" Ziva called out from across the room, saying that name to his face was hard. Seeing him right now, staring at her and choking her partner, was very hard. She had a gun pointed in their direction but Alef smiled because he knew, just knew, she wouldn't use it when her partner was in the crossfire. Tony tried to speak, but it proved harder than he thought.

"Not when doing it makes you suffer" Alef grinned. He knew these two had something between them, he could almost smell it right now. Especially with how protective Ziva is becoming for the man in his hands.

"I will shoot" Ziva threatened.

"You're not going to shoot with him right in front of me, put the weapon down" Alef demanded. She would not lower her weapon. Alef used one of his hands to hold Tony's throat while he brought the other to the knife wound in Tony's shoulder, and he gripped it tight with his hand. Tony winced in pain.

"Put it down" Alef continued. Ziva still didn't back down. Only when Alef dug his fingers deep in Tony's wound and her partner let out a restricted scream, even with his throat held tight, she heard the raw pain in his voice. She placed the weapon down, she will have nothing happen to Tony because of her, and her past.

Once she had placed it down Alef smiled and he quickly hit Tony across the face where he fell to the floor and Alef advanced towards Ziva, when he got close he noticed her take a sharp breath in. He had shaken her with his murders. She was afraid. He reached out to touch her and she slapped his hand away. Anger grew in him and he gripped her wrist.

"You think you can beat me this time? Oh, I don't think so. You've grown weak" he snapped. She'd made him angry, her partner had made him angry.

"You won't get away with this" she stated. He laughed.

"I have planned this for a long time my dear Ziva, _nothing_ will get in my way" he stated. A smile flickered on her features, he frowned.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked, his voice not pleased with her reaction one bit.

"Because you underestimate the people I work with" she said, smiling. He growled and one sharp backhand across her face had her one the ground. He definitely knew exactly where to strike when taking out his opponents.


	5. Chapter 5

I promised this yesterday but it's been busy at work, so sorry about the wait. I hope you enjoy, this is the second to last chapter.

* * *

When she wakes up it's in a dark, dusty aired room. Brick walls surround her all sides and she wonders if she'd underground somewhere. She can feel memories of Somalia biting in the back of her mind but she tries to force them away, she has it hard enough without those thoughts protruding into the situation she's in. The dirt floor underneath her doesn't help.

She scans the room and realizes this is different from last time she was held captive, why? Because she's not alone. His body lies in one of the dark corners of the room, his body left right where Alef had likely tossed him. Why had Alef taken Tony as well as her?

She didn't know but she shuffled her way across the dirt to his side, dust clouding in the minimal light from the two small bulbs in the roof. Her hands go to him right away, she rolls him over so she can see his face. His eyes are closed and the dust underneath him is stained red. His shoulder is still losing blood. She doesn't hesitate to react and she quickly removes her belt and wraps it around his shoulder, tightening it to reduce the blood flow. She won't let him die, not on her watch.

"Tony" she whispered, shaking him a little. He blinked a few times, his eyes finding it hard to adjust.

"Ziva?" he asked. Where was he? What was going on? What had happened to him-

"Ziva are you okay?" he asked, sitting up a lot faster than she expected. He remembered what had happened, where he had last been. His eyes scanned her body to see if she was hurt. She placed her hands on his shoulders, calming him down.

"I am fine Tony, it is not me you should worry about" she said. She was looking at his shoulder, and he'd only just realized.

"It's only a scratch" he said. He may be saying that but in all truths his shoulder was in a lot of pain. She didn't have it in her heart to argue with him, because she didn't want herself to believe that it was something they should really worry about. But in the dark cold space, with nothing but dust beneath their feet, could they do anything more to help? No. She didn't have anything that could help him in this situation, she's given him all she knows will help sustain his life. And that's as good as they can get.

"Where are we?" he asked. Maybe she knew, he wasn't too sure. The look that forms on her face, she doesn't have to say it. She doesn't know. He reaches out and brings his hand into the side of her hair, her eyes scan around the room. He could be watching, they don't know. But he continues and she doesn't give an effort to stop him.

"I will try my best to get you out of here Ziva" he said quietly. She knew he couldn't promise that he will get her out, he doesn't know that. In all honesty she doesn't think he'll get them out of here, knowing Alef it wasn't going to be made easy. But her heart gets that tight feeling, because he still tries for her even if the evidence is against him. He would always be there for her. And in her heart she knows that, she can see it spread across his face right now as he stares into her eyes, his thumb caresses along her cheekbone. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Before she could say anything the door, the only thing separating the bricks from bricks, burst open. Tony's hand dropped from her face to his side, but it wasn't unseen by Alef. He chuckled at the sight.

"They always said a lot of rumours about you two, and I'm beginning to really believe them" he said, wicked grin smothering his face. Ziva knew exactly who he meant by _they_. The anger grew within Tony, the longer Alef was around him the more he thought about what he did to Ziva. Vengeance ran through his veins, it was a common reaction to the people that hurt the one woman he's always cared about more than anything.

Ziva wasn't the most cheerful either.

"Why must you do this Alef?" she questioned him. She knows that there is a sick mind behind the man, but it ran more than that, more than just his want to get her back for what she did.

"Why? You are truly asking me that?" he said stepping towards them. Ziva stood to challenge him, Tony tried to hold her back but no she would not stand down. She was never afraid, she will not let herself be afraid this time.

"Because you didn't get what you wanted from me, is that it?" she spat. Now she was riled up, it would be hard to stop her. Alef pulled something out from behind him and cracked it across Ziva's legs, making her tumble to the floor in a screech of pain. He had a police baton in his hand.

"It's more than that, don't you understand what you put me through, you ruined me, my life, look at my face!" he screamed, she didn't look. He cracked her with the baton again. "Look at it!" she looked, caving in. She had to, she didn't know what he would do if she didn't. The scar on his face, the one that has carved his features into something unusual, it stood out. People would always stare at something different.

"You leave her alone" Tony said standing up. He knew Alef had a weapon, he didn't care. His heart was throbbing darkly at the sight of Ziva on the floor.

Alef struck his baton at Tony, Tony lifted his arm, blocking the strike. And yeah he screamed when he felt the bone crack underneath the baton, but he used his other hand to strike out and lay a punch into Alef. Alef stumbled a little but he didn't get far. He cracked Tony again, but Tony put up a fight, he lashed out, Alef didn't see it but he felt the knife cut across his cheek. Rule number nine was always one Tony lived by day to day.

Alef stopped, lifted his hand and felt his cheek, blood stained his hands. One more scratch to his face won't change much. He chuckled darkly.

"Oh you shouldn't have done that" Alef said, his eyes as black as his evil heart. Alef charged at him, murder in his eyes. How many people this man had killed, Tony only just realized would have been more than he believed. The simple look in his face right now, it was screaming at Tony about how deadly this man was.

If this was Tony's last day, his last breath, he would make the most of it. For Ziva.

There was a strike to his side, and whack to his shoulder, another crack filled the air around them as Alef hit him.

Whack. Whack.

_Whack_.

Tony tried his best, striking out and using his weapon to his advantage. But in the end he was no match for Alef. His training has never been as extreme as that of Mossad. Sure he'd taken down Michael, but Alef was as sober as they come. Not that he wanted it to fill his mind but Tony's chances were slim.

And he didn't stop until he was crouched on the ground, in more pain then he ever felt imaginable. Alef raised his hand for what Tony thought would be the last blow, but he stopped, and he looked at Ziva, then back to Tony. That smirk on his face. Tony did not want to think what that could be for, but really he knew exactly what it was for, what he had in mind. The evidence was in front of Tony at every crime scene all week. Tony almost wept at the thought. Not again, he can't let it happen again.

Alef drags her across the floor, she's kicking and screaming, she doesn't want this, she can't handle this again. But as much as she fights, he's too strong for her to hold back, and she's still ninja, but not enough to get to his level, and not when she's injured. He's killed nonstop since leaving, he's become stronger. And she can't fight back to stop it.

"I think we should give you a show, something for you to remember in your last moments" Alef said looking right at Tony. He turned to Ziva.

"You agree right?" he asked, holding his baton against Ziva's cheek. And yeah, she felt the blood on her cheek from the weapon. Tony's blood. She shook her head. No, not ever did she agree. Alef pressed the baton hard into her cheek.

"What?" he asked again, Tony's eyes were wet, he was almost crying. He couldn't take this, he couldn't let this happen again, and by god, he couldn't watch it. She nodded. She had to. Alef leant down, his breath on her face.

"Your boyfriend is going to love this" he whispered to her, she shook on the inside. His lips touched her skin and she felt the need to be sick. The correction for Tony's title she felt not needed, to many times over the years she's corrected people, but really if she had gone for it, if they had done something about their feelings she wouldn't have any regrets right in this second of her life. She wouldn't regret not spending her life happy with whom she cared most about.

Alef's hands sort out her body, and she knew what this felt like. That feeling that no matter how many showers you take, you don't seem to wash the feeling off your skin. Not until you get to that mental state in your mind and realize it's all okay. Her eyes turned to Tony, he lay in the dirt, the crimson stained dirt from his wounds. What he's done for her. He gave her _almost_ everything. His eyes were staring at her in deep pain, tears dripped from his eyes. She could see that he wanted more than anything for this not to be happening.

Alef hands were at her belt, much like all those years ago, and no matter what he said to her she stared at Tony, couldn't take her eyes from the one thing keeping her stable right now. And yeah she tried to fight back, push, kick, shove at Alef, but one of his hands went to her neck and held her down. She couldn't fight.

She watched Tony move, try to get up, he slowly was. Alef was far too focused on her, on his pleasure, his dream of what he's always wanted to do to her since that night, he didn't notice Tony move. Get closer. He only noticed when Tony was halfway through his strike, this time he got him good. Alef stared wide eyed as he looked down at the knife in his side. Alef lost it, no patients did he have left for keeping the man in front of him as a witness to the scene he was trying to commit. One strike to Tony's head with the baton and he was no longer a danger. He fell to the ground, this time he wasn't moving. Ziva didn't stop the tears from falling.

"You cry for him? Why? He's the one that has made you so weak, you could have done great things" Alef said as he grabbed her face in his rough hands.

"I did not want to end up like you. I left to have a life, something you wouldn't understand, just like love. You are not a human, you are a monster" she said, pain in her heart. Alef does not understand what it's like to lose someone you love, but happily he will take that from someone. Just like he just did.

Alef was about to say something, she could see it on the tip of his tongue but his body jerked slightly, he looked at the knife in his side, then to her.

"I'm not finished with you" he said, holding the knife at his side, standing up. He gave her a kick for good measure before heading to the door. He would be back when he'd finished dealing with the knife in his side, she knew.

Bang.

Then silence.

She looks up and see's Gibbs on the other side of the door, Alef's body fallen to the floor, his blood a pool around him. He'd found them, and it wasn't until Alef opened that door had he been able to really save them. Even with her skills she wouldn't have been able to open such a door from the outside without the fitting key.

Gibbs sees what's in front of him, he yells at McGee who's as shocked as he is at the sight. Gibbs moves for Ziva but she's already desperately crawling to Tony. She clings to him like she would give him air to breathe if she held on long enough.

It seems as though every time, out of everyone in the world it always had to be him. The one to save her.


	6. Chapter 6

This last chapter is only short, but it's how I wanted this one to end. It was always intended to be a short story, as I have other long ones that I am in the process of right now. Thanks for everyone who enjoyed this one, and who shared all the wonderful comments.

Hundan.

* * *

How often to look back, really reflect on what you have done? What someone else has done for you? Do you ever wonder how you will be remembered, if what you've done or what you are doing will mean anything at all, will they even remember you at all?

Those are the thoughts that run through your head as you take your last dying breaths. It's what you think about. Were you really meaningful to anyone in this lifetime? Was your risk worth it? Or did you give too much of yourself away?

But then there's that moment, you never expect it and for a minute you think you're waking up in heaven. And then there's a hand far too soft, far too real to be in heaven, or is that just what it feels like in heaven? He's unsure and he can't tell if this is all real or if his soul is the only thing living now. But when she whispers his name and a tear falls on his hand that she grips onto. He knows he's not dead. That this is all real.

He tears up at the thought. He hadn't lost her. It was the first thing he thought of. And when he opens his eyes there was no cut across her throat, she hardly seemed hurt. God, everything he sacrificed had been worth it. It always had when it came to her. For her, he would give everything. He _almost_ did.

"Ziva" he whispers, his hand reaching out to touch her, but it won't move. He looks down at the plaster covering his arm. He could say he's been through worse, but that's not really being honest.

"Oh god Tony, I thought you were never going to wake up" she stumbled on the words, because her tears were intruding. He's never seen her this upset. And it's over him.

"I never told you what I should have told you" he comes right out with. He can't hold it back, not now, not ever. She gets where he's going, because she feels it, she feels every single thing he does and she doesn't need him to say it to know, not now, not after what they have been through. She no longer lies to herself and says he doesn't feel it.

"It can wait Tony" she says, squeezing his hand. He's full of drugs and he's been in a coma for just under two weeks. This conversation could be left for another day.

"No, not any longer" he refuses to wait. His one good hand that's around hers grips tighter.

"I don't want to do this alone anymore" he whispers, and she knows he means life. He doesn't want to go on in life without someone else. There's a point when you can't take being alone any longer, and when you get given a second chance at life, you don't hesitate for one second. Tony realizes that now.

"You won't be" she says, and as simply as she says it, it means more than anything she's ever said to him. He can't let her hand go and neither can she. He wants to kiss her, because it's something else he's waited far too long for, he's held back long enough from the things his heart screams at him that he wants.

"Kiss me?" he asks and she smiles, she missed the way he makes her smile. She leans in because she can't deny him what she wants as well. Her lips are soft and his heart feels like it has begun a new life, she has his body thrumming with the want to carry on.

And now he knows as he thinks back to what he's done, the things he will be remembered by. The things he's done, that he will do. It will mean more than anything at all. And he will be remembered he knows that, by Ziva, if not anyone else his memory will live in her. Because she will be the one he will share this with, his memories, his life. It's only the beginning and anything is far game, but he knows they will get through. He was given a second chance for a reason.

Well actually this is like his fifth chance. But he's been kept around for a reason, and he has a feeling that reason is her.


End file.
